The present invention comprises a new and distinct variety of Viola, botanically known as Viola×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the variety name ‘Sweetheart’. ‘Sweetheart’ originated and was selected from a large population of hybrid seedlings from an open-pollinated Viola breeding program which was started by the inventor in 2010. The breeding program was conducted in a greenhouse nursery in Lincoln, Lincolnshire, United Kingdom. The aims of the breeding program were to produce a series of new Viola varieties exhibiting a range of flower colors borne on vigorous plants which are highly scented.
In spring 2011, the inventor organized open-pollination using combinations of selected unnamed and unreleased seedlings retained from previous breeding cycles. The male and female parents of ‘Sweetheart’ are unknown. Seeds were harvested in late summer 2011, sown and grown over winter as seedlings which flowered in spring 2012. ‘Sweetheart’ was selected by the inventor in spring 2012. The inventor selected ‘Sweetheart’ together with the inventor's co-pending varieties ‘Amy’ (U.S. Plant Ser. No. 14/998,506), ‘Bonny’ (U.S. Plant Ser. No. 14/998,508), ‘Sunny Jim’ (U.S. Plant Ser. No. 14/998,507), for their close similarity in plant habit and flower size and in order to create a consistent and uniform series.
‘Sweetheart’ was first vegetatively propagated by the inventors in spring 2012 using asexual shoot cuttings. ‘Sweetheart’ has been found to reproduce true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation.